Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas.

Sequence:

PRSIZDENTS OFitE UNITED SPATES.

tween the two nations. The flags of thetwo republics were intertwined in the hallof the convention. Mr. Monroe presentedthe American colors, and received those ofFrance in return. The course which hepursued in Paris was so annoying to Englandand to the friends of England inthis country that, near the close of Washirngton'sadministration, Mr. Monroe, wasrecalled.After his return Colonel Monroe wrote abook of 400 pages, entitled " A View of theConduct of the Executive in Foreign Affairs."In this work he very ably advocatedhis side of the question; but, withthe magnanimity of the man, he recorded awarm tribute to the patriotism, ability andspotless integrity of John Jay, betweenwhom and himself there was intense antagonism;and in subsequent years he expressedin warmest terms his perfectveneration for the character of GeorgeWashington.Shortly after his return to this countryColonel Monroe was elected Governor ofVirginia, and held that office for threeyears, the period limited by the Constitution.In I802 he was an Envoy to France,and to Spain in I805, and was Minister toEngland in 1803. In I806 he returned tohis quiet home in Virginia, and with hiswife and children and an ample competencefrom his paternal estate, enjoyed a few yearsof domestic repose.In I809 Mr. Jefferson's second term ofoffice expired, and many of the Republicanparty were anxious to nominate JamesMonroe as his successor. The majoritywere in favor of Mr. Madisqc. Mr. Monroewithdrew his name and was soon afterchosen a second time Governor of Virginia.He soon resigned that office to accept theposition of Secretary of State, offered himby President Madison. The correspondencewhich he then carried on with theBritish Government demonstrated that

there was no hope of any peaceful adjustmentof our difficulties with the cabinet ofSt. James. War was consequently declaredin June, I812. Immediately after the sackof Washington the Secretary of War resigned,and Mr. Monroe, at the earnestrequest of Mr. Madison, assumed the additionalduties of the War Department,without resigning his position as Secretaryof State. It has been confidently stated,that, had Mr. Monroe's energies been in theWar Department a few months earlier, thedisaster at Washington would not haveoccurred.The duties now devolving upon Mr. Monroewere extremely arduous. Ten thousandmen, picked from the veteran armiesof England, were sent with a powerful fleetto New Orleans to acquire possession ofthe mouths of the Mississippi. Our financeswere in the most deplorable condition.The treasury was exhausted and our creditgone. And yet it was necessary to makethe most rigorous preparations to meet thefoe. In this crisis James Monroe, the Secretaryof War, with virtue unsurpassed inGreek or Roman story, stepped forwardand pledged his own individual credit assubsidiary to that of the nation, and thussucceeded in placing the city of New Orleansin such a posture of defense, that itwas enabled successfully to repel the invader.Mr. Monroe was truly the armor-bearerof President Madison, and the most efficientbusiness man in his cabinet. His energyin the double capacity of Secretary, bothof State and War, pervaded all the departmentsof the country. He proposed toincrease the army to Ioo,ooo men, a measurewhich he deemed absolutely necessaryto save us from ignominious defeat, butwhich, at the same time, he knew wouldrender his name so unpopular as to precludethe possibility of his being a successful candidatefor the Presidency.

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